Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Imports Cwd topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee lays over bill to allow import of reindeer amid state chronic wasting disease concerns
Summary
The committee laid over House File 434, which would permit certain Minnesota facilities to import reindeer from accredited institutions; the DNR urged caution because of chronic wasting disease (CWD) concerns and recommended awaiting a validated live-animal CWD test.
The House Ag Finance and Policy Committee laid over House File 434 after testimony focused on animal welfare, genetic diversity and disease risk.
Chair Anderson introduced the measure on behalf of Representative Franson. The bill would allow specified Minnesota facilities to import reindeer from out‑of‑state institutions under certain accreditation conditions. Joan Hemker, founder and co‑owner of Hemker Park and Zoo, testified remotely in support and described the zoo’s participation in American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) cooperative breeding programs, saying the facility "has cared for reindeer for over 35 years" and that imports are important for genetic diversity and education.
Pat Rivers, deputy director for Fish and Wildlife at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, urged caution. Rivers told the committee that Washington state recently detected chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a wild deer and that ‘‘we have real concerns about how House File 434 would allow importation of animals without adhering to our best management practices related to CWD.’’ Rivers said Minnesota has invested in research at the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach (MinPro) and would support importation only after a validated live test exists to confirm animals are disease-free.
Committee members and testifiers discussed the legal and accreditation distinctions between AZA accreditation, USDA exhibitor licensing, and state statute (Minn. Stat. 35.155 was cited for the statute that the amendment would change). Representative Anderson asked for the bill to be laid over for further consideration and suggested a permit process tied to a risk‑based assessment conducted by the DNR and the receiving institution once a validated live test is available.
No committee vote to advance the bill occurred; the chair announced the measure would be laid over for further review and possible future action.
